


First Frost

by Whuffie



Series: Cozy Autumn Prompts [5]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Female Warden Mage, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27061606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whuffie/pseuds/Whuffie
Summary: Prompt: First FrostPairing: Cullen / F!WardenTime Period: Pre-Origins and after the Winter Palace in InquisitionAudrie reminisces about a missed opportunity at the Tower and has a chance to live it later. Based on a canon friendly AU where the Warden was found to become Inquisitor. Everything else is the same as the game. This will eventually be incorporated into a larger fic.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Warden
Series: Cozy Autumn Prompts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975045





	First Frost

It was still early and the only thing stirring in Skyhold were the kitchens. A nightmare jolted Audrie awake, so she carefully slipped from Cullen’s bed. Victimized by his own restlessness, he reached for her in a state of half sleep. “I’m just going down the ladder,” she reassured in a soft voice. Bending to kiss his temple, she added, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

With too little private time, they enjoyed fully waking up together and occasionally starting the day in a way which put a little more spring in both their steps. She hoped today would be one of those mornings, but his company was always enough. Curled up with him, the closeness and sense of safety were a refreshing balm for her weary soul. It was one of the things which kept her focused on the Inquisition and gave her hope for a normal, quiet life when the war was over.

Cullen’s breathing evened, and Audrie borrowed a blanket. She slept in one of Cullen’s shirts and almost nothing else. Without him to keep her warm, she folded the blanket across her shoulders like a bulky cloak, and crept as quietly as possible down to his office. Yawning, she rubbed an eye and looked out one of his narrow windows. The sky was a stormy grey with rumble of thunder and a white sheen coated the rooftops in pre-morning light. It was a perfect morning stay cuddled with Cullen.

One of Leliana’s birds circled with a distant caw, then dropped out of sight on the way to the aviary. A forgotten memory surfaced from her past, when she stared out a different window.

Kinloch Hold had been the only thing she knew. She harbored few regrets growing up fed, sheltered, educated and content. There were always times she felt a tug of longing for a life involving Cullen and the world beyond the walls. The half formed fantasies were flits of childish whimsy. Even when she was young she was too serious to entertain them as anything but a few seconds of distraction because she knew they were impossible. 

That morning was different, a rare time when no one else was awake in the Tower except a few sleepy, watchful templars. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, so they ignored her as she went as far upstairs as apprentices were allowed without escort. The windows were too small for a person to fit through, and she assumed they were used for shooting bows or magic out on trespassers who tried to cross the lake.

Cool air whipped through the narrow gap and she inhaled the smell of distant trees and ever present water. There wasn’t much to see except the vast expanse of Lake Calenhad, but a few small supply boats were covered with first frost. In the towns and forests beyond, a sprinkle of thin ice would make blades of grass crackle pleasantly when walked over. She vaguely remembered the sound and sensation from early life.

Most of the mages felt the urge to get out of their home and ramble around in the countryside at some point. A few hatched mad plans to evade the templars and get away. Most failed before they got near the lake, and she never knew anyone who was able to stay outside for long unless they had permission. It wasn’t escape she craved, but would a temporary change of scenery be so terrible?

When a cold gauntlet landed on her shoulder, she almost jumped out of her robes and stuck to the ceiling. “Ack!”

“I’m sorry!” A familiar voice apologized, yanking his hand back. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She berated herself for being so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard Cullen rattle and clank up behind her. Her instructors praised her for focusing when her mind was on lessons, but when her mind drifted, she could just as easily tune out the world to inner, inconsequential rambling.

Once her heart moved out of her throat and back into her chest, she stepped aside from the window. “It’s alright. I’m sure you made enough noise that I should have noticed. Look out there,” she pointed for emphasis. “The first frost is here.”

Taking a step, he humored her, squinting in the bright streaks of early dawn. “The harvests will start soon and the Tower can expect pumpkins and squash.”

“I,” she hesitated, biting her lip. “I don’t suppose Greagoir ever lets mages out to take a walk with a templar escort?”

She could read the answer in the frown between his brows before his mouth opened. “It’s much too far, and the ride on the boats is too cold this time of year.”

Expecting as much, she sighed wistfully. “It might have been nice to take a walk under the trees with you. I don’t remember what the frost felt like any more.”

He had no answer for that.

When a warm, calloused hand lay on her shoulder in the present time, she didn’t jump. Although she didn’t hear Cullen come down the ladder from his bed, she felt his warmth a moment before he touched her. Reaching up, she clasped his fingers. “I was hoping you’d drift back off. I was about to rejoin you.”

“The nightmares.” He didn’t have to expand on the two words and put his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.

Snuggling against his chest she folded her arms over his. “Do you want to go back to bed?”

She felt him shake his head. “Not right now.”

Evidently he had other things in mind.

Twenty minutes later, Cullen pushed her messy, pale hair away from her face and looked down into her eyes. “What were you thinking about?” he asked with genuine curiosity, “before we were...”

“Distracted?” she supplied with feigned innocence.

A soft chuckle bubbled from his chest as he rested his forehead against hers. “Yes. Before that.”

“I had just remembered something from Kinloch Hold, a long time ago. We were looking out one of the windows at the first frost. I knew we couldn’t do it, but more than anything, I wanted to take a walk with you in it. I couldn’t remember what it was like and all I’d ever been able to do was stare at it from a window since I was a little girl.”

It took him a moment, and she hoped it didn’t bring up bad memories from worse times at the Tower. It relieved her to hear only warmth in his voice when he answered, “I remember.” After a few minutes of enjoying one another’s company, he kissed her. “Get dressed.” Smiling, he pulled up his pants. “It’s early. The frost will still be in the gardens.”

She started to protest as she caught the clothes he tossed down to her from the platform sectioned off for his bed. Being out in the field all the time meant first frost was more aggravation than celebration.

Then she thought of the empty garden and how little time they were able to steal between their responsibilities of the Inquisition. Duty always came first for both of them, but the war table was only separated from the gardens by a few rooms and hallways. She quickly tugged on her clothes and helped him strap on armor once he rejoined her. It wasn’t necessary, but when she was with him it made the morning move faster.

Knowing her distaste for cold, he kept an arm around her waist and draped half his cloak over her shoulders as they drifted into the empty garden. A breeze played among the leaves, tossing and twisting around the ankles of the two lovers.

“I come here to harvest plants now and again. I never stopped to appreciate how beautiful it is.” Her hushed voice almost returned to youth as she pointed to the trees. “Look how colorful they are, and listen to how they creak when they sway in the wind. The rustling sounds almost like something sizzling in the kitchen or heavy rainfall on stones.”

Cullen left his gloves off for the duration of their walk, and their fingers twined. Beaming, Audrie stared down at their boots as they leisurely made a circuit around the perimeter. Frost crackled softly beneath their soles and she glanced up at Cullen to find him watching her. A rare, broad, genuine smile beamed over his handsome face.

Whatever the battles or trials the coming months might bring, Audrie rejoiced in one quiet moment of true happiness, standing in the midst of falling leaves in the first frost.


End file.
